Muhammad Rudi, the mayor of Batam, Riau Islands, thought it was a good idea to build a mosque in the center of a shipyard. One of his main concerns was that most shipyard workers, who are Muslims, had to rush to the nearest mosque outside the shipyard during Friday prayers.

The workers were worried that if they returned late after Friday prayers, they would have their wages cut and their work performance considered bad.

After a long wait, Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah Mosque, with a capacity of 25,000 worshippers, finally opened in late September, also welcoming those who are traveling or vacationing in Batam.

The mosque, which is also known as Masjid Agung II (Grand Mosque II), is located in the Batuaji area of Batam. Its building spans 57,114 square meters on 4 hectares of land.

A highlight of the mosque is an observation deck equipped with telescopes, standing 99 meters high and open to the public. Visitors are able to enjoy an aerial view of Batam city and even Singapore, which is about 20 kilometers away from the island.

Moreover, eight shading umbrellas as well as nine domes also grace this mosque. The main dome, measuring 63 sq m, covers the main worship space without any pillars.

Those who want to see every detail of the mosque might need to spend up to two hours there, so it is understandable that the Batam administration is promoting the mosque as one of the island’s must-visit destinations.

Rudi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that aside from functioning as a place for worship, the mosque is a reflection of the region’s growing religious tourism, a campaign that is being promoted by the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI).

Rudi added that the city of Batam would actively promote the mosque to travel agents in Batam and outside of the island.

“[…] This grand mosque has an important role for the economy in Batam as well as Indonesia, as the growth of the economy all over Indonesia must be supported with good infrastructure,” he said.

Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah Mosque was financed with funds from the 2017, 2018 and 2019 regional budgets (APBD). Its construction took three years, starting with a groundbreaking on April 7, 2017, and finally an inauguration with its first ever Friday prayers on Sept. 20 this year.

Technically, the mosque’s construction took 837 days from the groundbreaking until its first-phase completion. Meanwhile, the final touches are expected to be complete by May 2020.

Batam Tourism Agency head Ardiwinata said the mosque was considered a religious tourist destination that was also open to non-Muslim visitors who were interested in getting to know Islam.

“We provide appropriate garments for non-Muslim visitors who need to cover their clothes to enter the mosque,” Ardiwinata explained.

He went on to say that the mosque, adding to the list of tourist destinations in Batam, had boost the agency’s confidence that the city could meet its target of attracting 2.4 million visitors this year.

According to Ardi, there are three standards to be met by a mosque to become a religious tourist destination, namely the building itself, its service and management. Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah Mosque is said to meet the three standards.

He added that those who visited the mosque could consider themselves to be in good hands.

“There are hotels and halal-certified restaurants around the mosque.”

Riau Islands Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) head Andhika Lim was happy to welcome Batam’s newest religious tourist destination, hoping that it would further attract tourists from Malaysia and Singapore.

Malay historians in Riau Islands appreciated the Batam mayor’s decision to name the grand mosque after Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah, who ruled the Malay kingdoms of Lingga, Riau, Johor and the first Pahang.

Mahmud Riayat Syah was named Sultan at the tender age of 3 in 1761, and he ruled until the day he died in 1812. He was recognized as a national hero by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2017.

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